Based on a True Story: Not a Memoir

Product Information

Macdonald returned to Saturday Night Live to host the October 23, 1999, show. In his opening monologue, he expressed resentment at being fired from Weekend Update, and then he concluded that the only reason he was asked to host was because "the show has gotten really bad" since he left, [50] echoing a perennial criticism of the show. Williams, John (December 21, 2016). "Norm Macdonald's Often Funny, Always Fabulist 'Based on a True Story' ". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved March 10, 2018. Rytlewski, Evan (March 13, 2009). "Norm MacDonald Talks Stand-Up, Teases FX "Reality" Show". Shepherd Express . Retrieved November 20, 2021. Edgers, Geoff (May 29, 2022). "Norm Macdonald had one last secret". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved August 10, 2023.

Based on a True Story : Not a Memoir - Google Books

It may be most valuable to start with what this book is not– it is most absolutely not the common comic memoir that is common right now. You will not be obtaining a chronology of Norm’s life written humorously. You will not obtain any type of understanding into his past or his personality, besides tangentially. You will not even get lots of true tales.Comedian and actor Norm Macdonald dead at 61". CBC News. September 14, 2021 . Retrieved September 15, 2021. Based on a True Story [is] often very funny but always very fabulist…A memoir in the sense that it's roughly organized by the timeline of Mr. Macdonald's life and career, this book is absurd fiction in many of its details, even the most basic ones…[Macdonald's] an oddball by nature who also seems to have genuinely cultivated a disregard for conventional success. This memoir's evasive clowning is in keeping with all that. The New York Times - John Williams Long after I left the segment, the term “fake news” became the ordinary way to describe what was done on SNL as well as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. So who’s the idiot now?” Letterman, David (March 6, 1998). Late Night with David Letterman (TV series). New York: CBS . Retrieved February 23, 2007.

Based on a True Story: A Memoir by Norm Macdonald | Goodreads

He attended Quebec High School [19] before his family moved to Ottawa, Ontario. In Ottawa, Macdonald attended Gloucester High School. He claimed to have dropped out at sixteen, but may in fact have graduated two years early. [20] [21] He studied mathematics and philosophy at Carleton University in Ottawa before dropping out. [22] [23] Macdonald was later also briefly enrolled in Algonquin College's programs for journalism and broadcasting-television, following his elder brother Neil Macdonald's footsteps. He worked a variety of manual labor jobs in between periods of school and before starting in comedy. [24] [25] Norm is one of my all-time favorites, and this book was such a great read I forgot how lonely I was for a while." --Amy Schumer Macdonald was already working on his sort of made-up memoir two summers ago when I interviewed him at Just for Laughs in Montreal. He was candid about the process, about how the book would take occasional detours into novelization. I have no doubt Macdonald could go on to write a series of pulp fiction detective novels based on this funny and fanciful first effort. I thought the book got off to a rather slow start. I was a good 1/4 of the way into it before it started to get pretty entertaining. I loved him including some of his old Weekend Update jokes as they are still as funny now as they were at the time.Given the prominence of a made-up character like Terence Keane (among others) I thought his Sancho Panza Adam Eget also wasn’t real and the name was a thinly-veiled pun - a damn eejit/idiot = Adam Eget. Especially as Adam Eget does act like a damn idiot all the way through! But apparently he is a real person and is Norm’s podcast co-host. a b MacPherson, Guy (January 17, 2006). "Norm Macdonald" (Interview). ComedyCouch.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006 . Retrieved October 3, 2010. Anderson, Kyle (March 27, 2013). "Norm Macdonald talks new video podcast". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 6, 2013. Norm is brilliant and thoughtful, and there is sensitivity and creative insight in his observations and stories. . . . I seriously f**king love Norm Macdonald. Please buy his book. He probably needs the cash. He’s really bad with money.” — Louis C.K., from the foreword These clips show why Norm Macdonald was the best worst talk show guest of all time". The A.V. Club. September 14, 2021.

Norm Macdonald’s Memoir Was Mostly Lies, but One Part Rings True

Norm Macdonald makes me laugh my ass off. Who is funnier than Norm Macdonald? Nobody." --Judd Apatow Beyond 'Saturday Night': Norm Macdonald's best roles from 'Dirty Work' to 'Screwed' ". New York Post. September 14, 2021 . Retrieved November 6, 2021. We lost a comedy giant': Conan O'Brien, Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler mourn Norm Macdonald". Variety . Retrieved September 15, 2021.Reflecting on the state of modern comedy, he bemoaned the influx of dramatic actors into comedy and comedians into dramatic acting. [101] Norm Macdonald is an American treasure. No value has been placed on him. He’s a one and only. Can’t wait to read this book.” — Larry King Norm Macdonald gives David Letterman an emotional, beautiful send-off". Entertainment Weekly. May 16, 2015 . Retrieved May 16, 2015. Norm is one of the greatest stand-up comics who's ever worked--a totally original voice. His sense of the ridiculous and his use of juxtaposition in his writing make him a comic's comic. We all love Norm." --Roseanne Barr

Norm Macdonald Quotes (Author of Based on a True Story) Norm Macdonald Quotes (Author of Based on a True Story)

And while there is obviously way more material to work with during this current election cycle . . . Macdonald said his influences included the comedians Bob Newhart, [96] Sam Kinison, [97] Rodney Dangerfield, [97] Dennis Miller, [98] and the writers Leo Tolstoy [99] and Anton Chekhov. [100]Andreeva, Nellie (September 23, 2021). " 'The Conners' Pays Tribute To Norm Macdonald In Live Season 4 Premiere". Deadline . Retrieved May 30, 2022. Andreeva, Nellie (September 14, 2021). "Norm Macdonald Leaves Behind New Episodes Of 'The Orville' As Seth MacFarlane Mourns His "Hilarious And Generous" Co-Star". Deadline . Retrieved May 12, 2022. Norm Macdonald makes me laugh my ass off. Who is funnier than Norm Macdonald? Nobody.” —Judd Apatow He is survived by an older brother, Neil, who was a journalist with CBC News (and is married to Joyce Napier, a journalist with CTV News), his younger brother (Leslie), his son (Dylan), and his mother (Ferne). [26] [27] [28] Career [ edit ] The capitalization of Norm Macdonald's surname has been inconsistently reported in publications such as TV Guide. Books that discuss him, such as Shales (2003) and Crawford (2000), as well as other sources such as the Game Show Network and Comedy Central's Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, all consistently report "Macdonald" (lowercase "d") as his surname.